


May I

by DjinnHatesCold



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: BFFs, BFFs turning into something more, F/M, Fluff, SO MUCH FLUFF, Second Kiss, Vignette, wall of dialogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-05 08:20:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18362201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DjinnHatesCold/pseuds/DjinnHatesCold
Summary: Here is a tiny hors d'oeuvre of a story about the farmer and Shane.





	May I

The sun had set nearly an hour ago and the dim light that was left on the horizon was quickly being replaced by a rising full moon.  Shane and the farmer relaxed on the end of the forest lake’s creaky old dock with their feet in the water. The night was still swelteringly hot.  Sweat rolled down their faces even now as they chatted and joked. 

The farmer’s laugh was electric; it made the hair on Shane’s arms stand on end.  He shivered and rubbed at his arm as he laughed, hoping she didn’t notice his strange reaction.  Before she even had a chance to say anything if she did, he opened the small cooler and took out another can for himself.  “Need another?” he asked.

“Yeah,” the farmer giggled. “I got all night.”

“Sparkling water or beer?”

“How many have I had so far?  Two? Better make it a water before I have a third.  I can’t be getting trashed while you’re stone cold sober.”  She grinned wickedly and scrunched up her nose in the most adorable way.  “You might take advantage of me in my drunken state.”

Shane guffawed.  “That’s not a bad idea.  Maybe in your drunken state I could finally beat you in a foot race.  I need every advantage against you I can get.”

“You still couldn’t beat me.  I’m like lightning… you’re only gonna get burned!”

“Burned?  Wouldn’t that make you fire?”

“Fire, lightning, whichever one’s faster.”  She bumped his shoulder into his. “So what does that make you?”

“Some kind of… fat pufferfish.”  He handed her a can of water.

“You’re not fat!  A little spiky maybe.”  She grabbed his face with one hand and rubbed the stubble of his cheeks under her fingers before accepting the drink.  He swatted her away playfully.

“I have lost some weight since I quit drinking so much.”  He poked at his belly and frowned. “I’m not exactly in gridball shape, but I guess I’m not that young anymore, either.”

He tried not to notice that the farmer was looking him up and down from behind her drink.  He shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat.

“You look good, Shane.”

“Huh?”

“Sobriety looks good on you.  You look good. Inside and out.  I mean--” She burst into sweet laughter again.  “Did that even make sense?”

Shane chuckled.  “I guess so. Uh, thanks.”

There was a silence between them for a moment, but it felt comfortable.  It had been a long time since he felt so at ease around someone. The farmer had been so kind to him over the last couple of years.  He certainly didn’t deserve it at first, the way he responded to her enthusiastic attempts to befriend him with rudeness and cold hostility.  Over time her persistence began to feel endearing, and before he knew it he was opening up to her about his struggles with… everything.

The farmer wiped the sweat from her brow, then stood up.  She held her hand out to Shane. “Hey. Come with me!”

He raised an eyebrow.  “Where?”

She suddenly turned and leaped off the dock into the water.

A splash caught Shane directly in the face.  “What the--”

“Come on!” she laughed.

He watched her lean back into the water and float with a serene smile on her face.  Her t-shirt clung to her skin in a way that made him blush. He realized with horror that he’d either have to get into the water or run away before she noticed the way he was looking at her, and that made him flush more.  He dove in and welcomed the shock of cool water as he let his momentum propel him under the surface until the bubbles settled around him and he was left in the dark quiet. This girl was going to drive him crazy before the night was through.

He surfaced and tried to get his bearings.  Suddenly she was there in front of him with that same wicked grin as before.  He yelped and flailed, sending water splashing into both of their faces. This only made her laugh harder.  Before he knew it, he was laughing too. “You’re going to give me a heart attack!” he gasped.

“Try not being so jumpy!  Relax! Doesn’t this feel amazing?”

It did feel amazing.  The moon was rising higher in the darkening sky, the water was the perfect temperature, and the farmer -- his friend -- was there with him and actually appeared to enjoy his company.  

“Hey Shane…” the farmer started.

“Hmm?”

“Remember after you took me to that gridball game and I… well, I said I just wanted to…”

“Friends,” Shane finished.  “And I’m still OK with that.  Really.”

She brushed a stray lock of wet hair from her cheek and bit her lip before she continued.  “I have a confession to make.”

The color drained from his face.  Here it comes, he thought. She’s leaving or she doesn’t want to see me again and this is how she lets me down easy.

“Shane, I…”

He looked down and started to turn away.  He couldn’t find any thoughts, much less any words.  All at once he wanted to scream at her, to throw something, to fly away or dissolve into the lake.  He knew this friendship was too good to be true.

“May I kiss you again?”

What?  Time stopped.  His eyes grew huge.  He jerked his head up and met her eyes, which were beginning to shine with fearful tears.  He searched her face for some kind of confirmation that what he just heard was true. “Wh-- what did you say?”

She turned her head away.  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-- I knew this was going to change things one way or another… you’re not interested--”

He grabbed her shoulders so she would face him again, perhaps a little too roughly.  “What did you ask me?” he pleaded.

Tears rolled down her cheeks.  “I asked if I could kiss you. I’m so sorry, Shane.  We can still stay friends. I won’t bring it up ev--”

Shane let out a bark of a laugh, but clamped his hands over his mouth when he realized he had done so directly into her face.  “I’m sorry!” he blurted. He took her shoulders in his hands again, much more gently this time. He brought his face close to hers so their foreheads touched.  “Yes, I would love to kiss-- to be kissed by you.” He tenderly thumbed away the tears on her cheeks.

Her face brightened immediately.  She lunged forward, nearly knocking him off his feet, and pressed her mouth against his in a fierce kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Long time lurker, first time poster here. I've been working on some longer works of fandom that I may or may not work up the courage to publish, but here is me testing the waters with a little amuse-bouche.
> 
> I think I might be hungry...


End file.
